The Trump administration is considering implementing travel restrictions in 36 more countries, including key US partners such as Egypt and Djibouti, according to an internal memo seen by the Washington Post.
The memo, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and sent to US diplomats on Saturday, says governments from listed countries have met 60 days to meet new requirements established by the State Department.
The State Department argued that some of the countries mentioned did not meet various benchmarks such as “competent or cooperative central government authorities” to provide a large number of citizens who violated the terms of the trustworthy identity document or visa.
However, the memo included a warning. If they are willing to accept third-country citizens who have been removed from the United States, they will alleviate other concerns.
The list of countries that may face visa restrictions, travel bans, or other restrictions includes 25 African countries. Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Cote Doiboir, Congo, Dejibochi, Ethiopia, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Malawia, Malawia, Malawia, Malawia, Malawia, Malawia, Malawia, Malawia, Malawia, Malawia, Malawia, Malawia, Malawia, Malawia, Malawia, Malawia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio sends a note to diplomats representing 36 countries, indicating that the US can implement new travel restrictions (Reuters)
Several Caribbean countries are also listed: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, St. Kitz and Nevis, St. Lucia.
Four countries in Asia are also listed: Bhutan, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan and Syria. Three Oceania countries: Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu
These countries will need to provide the State Department with their first plan of action to meet the new requirements until 8am on Wednesday.
A State Department spokesman declined to comment on the ongoing internal deliberations, but said the department is always reevaluating policies to ensure that Americans are safe and foreigners adhere to the law.
The independent requested the White House for comment.
It is unclear whether travel restrictions will take effect after that deadline.
Reports on the new internal memo arrive a week after Trump reinstated his first-term travel ban and announced a full ban on entry into the United States from 12 countries and travel restrictions for seven other people.
In January, Trump signed an executive order asking the State Department to identify the state of the nation “wide lack of review and screening information that is lacking enough to guarantee partial or complete suspension.”
These actions are part of the president's broader anti-immigration agenda, including what he calls the “largest massive deportation operation” in American history, in which he targets undocumented immigrants and revokes visas and humanitarian protections for tens of thousands of immigrants.
